I'm just a fellow out standing in his field...
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The Useful Duck!

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Thursday, May 27, 2010

Claustrophobia

I overhauled a baler this week. I had to crawl into the bale chamber and adjust the face places on the plunger and adjust the knife. It was a tighter fit than it was a decade ago. I don't like it. Makes me tense. We are going to bale some two tie 16x18" bales this year. I don't know if it is a good idea but we have to sell some hay-somehow.
I've got some 140 acres of what used to be my own farm to do and the main farm has another 75 acres and it is all going to be ready at once. When it stops raining here it will not rain again until September, except perhaps around the 4th of July.
Instead of doing something useful and rebuilding the hydraulic cylinders on the tension control, I fixed the bale stroke counter. I did a very nice job of making a mounting bracket. Note the nice pattern of holes.

Gorges, getting in is easier than getting out. Getting in 10 years ago was easier than it was this year...Ed, Did you actually see it? After some reflection(-it posted automatically and I when I woke up I deleted it), I realized I am no longer anonymous. It was comprised of some thoughts better left to myself. If you want to read it I will email it to you.Orin, Anvils are incredibly useful. If you ever see a nice heavy one at a farm sale buy it! A heavy anvil spiked to a 80 year old oak round is an amazing tool when you need it!

I recall some time spent in a bale chamber. While I am thin enough to fit ok it is pretty awkward to get my long arms twisted around in such a narrow place. Its another reason I appreciated changing over to a round baler. Anvils? Wouldn't want to farm without one. DAd picked this one up at a farm auction many years ago. It bears signs of a hard life with chipped edges possibly having survived a fire. Probably worth at least a dollar a pound.